


Welcome to the Madness

by Starlight_88



Category: Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime)
Genre: F/M, M/M, Tigers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-15
Updated: 2017-04-15
Packaged: 2018-10-19 10:11:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 14,136
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10637730
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Starlight_88/pseuds/Starlight_88
Summary: Otabek is a slave forced to fight in the mad king's tournament. But what happens when he wins?





	

**Author's Note:**

> This has nothing to do with Yuri's 'Welcome to the Madness' program. I was inspired by a fanart a while ago and I've wanted to write this since and actually started to about a week before Welcome to the Madness came out. Anyway, enjoy. I was also inspired by Game of Thrones when writing this.

Otabek watched from behind the sidelines as a tiger slayed another fighter. Glancing around again, the young man realized he was last, and, needless to say, he was terrified. Everyone who was meant to go was. No one had seen anyone survive this punishment.

In the time Otabek had been in this kingdom, he’d learned a few things. No one here was sane, especially in the capital. In the capital, the madness was much worse. The king was the maddest of them all though.

At the end of each month, the arenas were opened and a tournament was held. During this tournament, slave owners would force their slaves to fight others; that was unless a person’s owner thought you deserved a worse punishment.

The one the king had made up.

And that’s what Otabek was being forced into, but he had picked up on something while watching the others fail.

A set of hands pushed him forward, causing him to tumble into the and into the arena. Seconds later, a dull sword was tossed out beside him and the slave owner chuckled.

“Good luck, you good for nothing.”

Otabek glared, grabbing the sword even though he had no need for it.

In the past few hours, Otabek had discovered two things. Kill the tiger, the king kills you. If you don't kill the tiger, it kills you. So what if you did neither?

A clap was heard echoing throughout the stadium, meaning the fight had begun. Otabek awoke from his thoughts, now completely alert to everything going on around him.

He and the tiger circled one another, trying to figure out who would make the first move. In the end, the human did, knowing that the large cat would stand his ground. Once the feline noticed his movement, it pounced at Otabek, claws out and teeth bared. At last second, the man moved to the side, only earning a small scratch on his forearm. The tiger roared as it hit the ground.

The crowd erupted in cheers, all of them thrilled at the strategy the fighter was going for. Otabek did his best to ignore the loud, noisy crowd, but it was difficult. His mind and body were tired but he knew that if he stopped fighting he’d die.

The tiger charged at him again and Otabek used the sword’s flat edge to push it back a little. The animal wobbled on its hind legs before jumping back down onto all fours. It paused, waiting to see what the young man was going to do.

Otabek let out a battle cry, lunging at the tiger. He wrapped his arms it’s neck, forcing it down to the ground. The tiger fell on top of him, which wasn’t exactly the plan he had in mind, but he was on the ground. This made it easier for the young man to crawl onto of the animal, that was, if he made it out from underneath the tiger.

The tiger swiped at Otabek, scratching his chest. Blood leaked from the long, thin cuts, but he did his best to fight on. It was a struggle, but Otabek was determined to continue till he had won.

The tiger wasn’t paying attention when the man had thrown himself onto his back. The tiger lost his footing, falling into his stomach. Otabek took his chance -- possibly the only chance he’d get -- and started to hit it’s head with the hilt of his sword.

The tiger roared in pain, trying to throw the human off him. It’s attempts failed and soon he fell unconscious. Once Otabek made sure the tiger was out but still alive, he stood up, throwing his weapon to the ground.

The crowd stared in amazement, all shocked at what the fighter had done. They watched as he approached the kings viewing area and kneel before him. The king, too, was shocked, but quickly recovered.

The king stood up from his throne and took brisk steps to the fighter. Otabek sucked in a breath, expecting to feel pain right before death. Instead, the king helped him stand and raised one arm into the air.

“We have a champion!”

***

After being declared champion, Otabek was whisked off by servant who tended to his wounds, bathed him, and gave him fresh, elegant looking clothes. He was then escorted into a large dining hall where the king sat, waiting for his dinner guest.

When the champion first stepped into the room, he nearly forgot how to breathe. The king was beautiful. His long golden hair cascaded down his back and over his shoulders. His skin was pale, but looked soft to touch. His eyes were a mix of blue and green with a look that reminded Otabek of a soldier. Beside him laid a white tiger with piercing blue eyes. Upon noticing the creature, Otabek took a step back.

“No need to worry, my champion,” the king assured. “Roksana will bring you no harm. Sit, please.”

Otabek sat across from the king. The second he was settled in his seat, four servants rushed in with a platter of food and a goblet of wine for each of them. The servants lifted the lids, revealing the dish. The fighter took one sniff of the delicious food before digging in, not bothering to even look to see what it was. After scarfing down half the food, Otabek looked up to see the king staring at him with an amused expression.

“I--”

“No, continue. We’ll speak once you’re full.”

Otabek did as the king said, fearing for the worst if he didn’t. After being a slave for three years, most people did as they were told the first time. If they didn’t… well, it didn’t end well for them. As a result, he had taught himself two things: do what you were told and never ask questions. So he did just that.

At the end of their meal, the king offered Otabek more food. The young man declined, though he could’ve eating a whole pig if it were in front of him. Two servants popped back into the room to refill their goblets. While one of them was filling up the king’s, the king had leaned over and whispered something into the servant's ear. With a quick nod, she ran off to do as she was commanded. Otabek noticed this but kept quiet.

“What is your name, champion?” the king asked, sipping his drink.

“Otabek.”

“No last name?”

“As slaves we have none,” Otabek informed him, though Otabek didn't seem convinced of that himself.

“But you had one at some point.”

“Yes… Altin.”

“Otabek Altin,” the king put together, trying it out. “Otabek Altin. It’s a nice name. Beautiful even.”

“Thank you, your grace.”

“Call me Yuri.”

Otabek nodded, taking the tiniest sip from his goblet. “As you wish, Yuri.”

“So, Otabek, how’d you end up here?” Yuri asked, swishing the liquor around in the goblet. Otabek must have looked confused because the king began to explain his actions. “I’m curious. I’d like to hear what someone did to serve such a punishment.”

Otabek thought back on the past five years. His parents had died when he was sixteen, leaving him and his little sister at the mercy of others. It wasn’t till two years after their death did he and his sister become slaves. They were captured when he was eighteen, his sister only twelve at the time. The siblings had been through hell since; sleepless nights, days without food. Scared littered their bodies from the tasks they had failed to complete. But as for why Otabek was there was different.

“My master, he owned both me and my sister, Emilia. Three months ago, she turned sixteen and our master and a few of his friends had a few drinks. Emilia was only doing what she was told, but one of the men decided they were going to have their way with her. She tried to fight him off and ended up calling out for me so I came in and tried to stop it. The man wasn’t too happy with my actions, so he convinced my master to force me into the tournament.”

“What was the name of your master?”

“Sir Joseph Graham.”

“One moment, please,” the blonde, said, leaving the room, his deep red robes flowing behind him. Seconds later he returned. “Now,” Yuri paused to take his seat again. “Do you have any question?”

“None,” Otabek mumbled. He knew this was a trap to be whipped.

“Otabek, you’re a free man now. You can say and do whatever you please.”

Still there was silence. Yuri sighed, relaxing in his seat.

“Then you won’t mind if I were to ramble?” the king asked, earning a shack of the head. “Alright then. You’re probably wondering what happens now since you’re my champion. You’re free now. You’re no longer a slave. You no longer have to do other people’s bidding. Hell, you could leave right now if you wanted.”

Otabek seemed to be slowly processing all the information. Yuri gave him a moment before continuing.

“I’ve been asked for three years why I chose tigers as a form of punishment. Do you know why?”

“Not the slightest.”

“I love cats. House cats, tigers, lions, panthers-- you name it; I have it. So think about it: if you’re willing to kill a beloved animal of the man who rules over you, you are heartless. If you are killed, you are nothing but a coward. It’s a challenge to see if someone has mercy on the poor feline.”

“No, it’s not.”

“Oh,” Yuri challenged. “And why’s that?”

“All those people in the arena are forced to fight against their will. Half of them didn’t even know how to fight or what to do, and the one’s who did try were only trying to defend themselves.”

“Is that how you see it?” Yuri asked in a dangerous tone. Otabek gulped, bracing himself for the possible beating.

“That’s how I see it.”

“Interesting…” Yuri mumbled. “Then what would you recommend?”

“What do you mean?”

“For a challenge. Something that can test a person’s morals and their limits.”

Otabek thought about it, though he couldn’t come up with something himself. He had to admit: the king’s idea was brilliant, but insane. But then again, most things in this kingdom were.

“Hard, isn’t it? Thankfully I won’t have to sacrifice any more of my tigers or anyone else in those stupid tournaments.”

“I still don’t understand,” Otabek confessed. “You had people face off with a tiger, but for what? For a so called ‘champion’?”

Yuri all of sudden looked tired. He stood up from his seat and moved closer to Otabek, seated himself on the corner of the table.

“My whole life I’ve been stuck here in this palace surrounded by people who were ruthless. The way they saw it was fight or die. They’d kill someone who had done something wrong with hearing their side. It just wasn’t right in my eyes. So that’s why I chose to have people fight against tigers. Someone was bound to fight the tiger but not kill it. It just took some time for someone to catch onto that idea.”

Yuri fell silent, deep in thought. Otabek watched as the young king thought deeper and deeper, like he was swimming down into a deep ocean. The further he went though, the more it looked like he was about to lose him. The fighter reached out, gently touching one of Yuri’s hand that were clutching onto the table. He seemed to bring Yuri back to where he was, startled by the sudden contact. The blonde pulled away without thinking, but soon realized his mistake when he caught a glimpse of Otabek’s hurt expression mixed with a hint of fear.

“I’m sorry… just lost in my thoughts.”

“It’s alright.”

Yuri sighed, chiding himself for his actions. He looked at up at his champion, soaking in his features. Tanned skin, broad shoulders, toned muscles, chiseled jaw line, dark brown eyes, long pitch black hair… Yuri stopped himself. He felt like he had stared long enough, though it was hard to look away. His champion was a handsome one.

“You look tired,” the young king noted. Otabek nodded, confirming his observation. “I’ll ask for a servant to lead you back to your room.”

“Thank you, Yuri,” Otabek whispered. “Thank you for all of this.”

Yuri acted before thinking again, rested a hand on Otabek’s cheek. The other noted how soft and warm it was.

“There’s no need to thank me. You earned this,” he told the young man, his hand lingering for a moment. The next part sounded like he was talking more to himself than Otabek. “You didn’t deserve the tiger fight. You were only doing what was right.”

They stared into each other's eyes after Yuri spoke. Finally, after a few silent moments, Yuri stood up, calling out for a servant to take Otabek to his room. The man did as he was told, guiding the champion to his room.

The room was large and elegant. A large bed was in the middle of the room; a wardrobe off to the side, which Otabek discovered was filled with robes, tunics, trousers, and many other articles of clothing. To the opposite wall was a writing desk. On the furthest side of the room was a doorway that leads out onto a balcony overlooking the city. After a quick glance over the view, he went back inside where there was warmth. When he entered back into the room, he noticed a large platter of fruits set on the writing desk. He supposed it was from the king and took a few pieces, not wanting show displeasure with what he was being offered. He wasn’t at all, but he felt like it would too selfish if he took all the food for himself.

Sighing, Otabek decided that it was time to rest. He quite put out all the candles in the room before snuggling under the soft, fluffy blanket on the bed. If didn’t even have a moment to appreciate how comfortable he was before he fell asleep.

***

The next morning, Otabek woke up on his own a little later than usual. The sun was already up, and he had a moment of panic, thinking that he’d be punished by his master for waking up late. Then the memories of yesterday came back, allowing him to relax a little.

Outside the room, Otabek would hear people scurrying around as quietly as possible. There were also the sounds of the outside world. Birds chirping, townspeople beginning to wake. All these sounds were familiar to him. He did his best to ignore all the sounds, which wasn’t too hard. He had his thoughts to distract him.

After a few minutes of just laying there, Otabek decided it was time to get up. He stood from the bed, making it look as nice as it had the night before. Once the bed was made, he changed into something more him. Not some rich snob. A pair of worn trousers and a loose tunic fit perfectly and suited him well.

Otabek quietly left the room. As we walked down the halls, people would stop and bow. The man was shocked by the attention, and found it a little overwhelming. He did his best to ignore it by walking faster. Soon enough Otabek found himself standing in front of what looked to be the throne room.

Torches lined the walls, creating a warm glow against the stone room. A long lush carpet lay on the ground between the six pillars leading up to the throne. Otabek approached the throne, circling it. He gently ran his fingers over the back of the golden chair, wondering who had crafted such a beauty

“Lovely, isn’t it?” Yuri asked, startling Otabek. He quickly pulled his hand back, in fear something would happen if he were caught. Yuri only smiled. “It’s fine. I don’t mind that you touched it. How was your sleep?”

“Best sleep in years,” Otabek answered truthfully.

“I’m glad. Mind on taking a walk with me while breakfast is being made?” Yuri offered, his arm held out. Otabek took it, allowing the king to lead the way. He also noted that Yuri’s hair was down, tickling his arm and a small braid weaved into his locks of hair. Just looking at his golden hair, Otabek had an urge to run his hand through it.

In the end, the walk was more of a tour for Otabek. He was grateful for, knowing that it would he helpful for the future. They ended the tour in the gardens. Yuri had shown his a stone fountain hidden behind a tall hedge bush. It was the king’s favorite place to visit and no one disturbed him while he was there.

“You can bother me any time though,” Yuri told him. “I wouldn’t mind.”

They went back inside shorty after the quick trip to the gardens. Their food was done and awaiting them out on a small balcony. There, they looked out over the view and the city awake.

Their morning meal was pleasant. Yuri was slowly able to break down Otabek’s walls. He was able to learn a few things about the man and was fascinated by him. He wanted to know more, but knew it would take time. And Otabek wasn’t ready to share everything with the king, which he understood and accepted. He’d wait till Otabek was ready, and when the time came Yuri would listen.

“May I ask about your sister?” Yuri asked. Otabek had briefly mentioned here many times, but didn’t go into much detail. Every time her spoke her name, a saddened look filled his eyes.

“Like what?”

“Anything. What is she like? What does she look like? Is she sweet? Nice? Tell me, please.”

Otabek laughed. He thought Yuri’s curiosity was adorable.

“Emilia’s kind and gentle and small. She has really long hair that all the younger girls play with, and a big, bright smile that can brighten anyone’s day. There was one time when we were little, she had fallen and scraped her knee, but she refused to cry. She said she didn’t want any of the boys teasing her.”

“She sounds like a strong girl,” Yuri commented.

Otabek nodded, looking out over the city, his sad look returning. “She is… I hope she’s alright.”

Yuri looked out over the city as well, thinking.

“We could go search for her,” Yuri suggested. “It might take a while, but I bet we could find her.”

“Where do we even start?” Otabek asked.

“Don’t worry. I’ve got it covered.”

Otabek raised an eyebrow. “What do you mean?”

Yuri debated for a moment before decided it was better to tell Otabek the truth. He wanted Otabek to trust him, and by lying he’d be doing to the opposite.

“Sir Joseph Graham is under questioning for what happened that night.”

Otabek’s jaw dropped slightly. He knew the king despised those who used people for their bodies, but there was never a law placed to punish those who did. The fact that Yuri was going out of his way to help Otabek was beyond comprehension. No one had shown him or his sister such kindness in years.

“Once we have the information we need,” Yuri continued, “we’ll begin our search. I will be joining in as well, and I expect you will as well.”

“Of course but… why are you doing all this?”

Yuri didn’t need any clarification about the question. The answer was simple. “You are my champion and my champion must be happy.”

“What does it mean to be your champion?” Otabek wondered, not realizing he’d said it out loud.

“It means you’ve proved you’re worthy of ruling as my equal,” Yuri explained, but before Otabek could ask anything else, the blonde beauty had stood up and gracefully walked away, leaving his dear champion confused.

***

Yuri quickly left before Otabek could ask exactly what it meant. He felt childish, like a lovesick kitten. The king was sure of his feelings, but still wasn’t ready to admit them out loud. But he knew what the feeling was.

It was love. Yuri was head over heels in love with his champion, a man who had barely known for a day. And maybe it wasn’t love, but he’d still do anything to make him happy. To make him smile a genuine, happy smile like the one he had seen while talking about his sister.

_ Emilia _ , Yuri thought.  _ Wherever you are, I’m going to bring you back for Otabek. _

***

Otabek didn’t see Yuri till after the sun had set. A servant was sent to find him and bring him to where the king awaited for him. Otabek followed after the young woman to where the king was. She led him out of the palace and the entrance of the dungeons. Any logical person knew that it’s never a good thing to be led to the dungeons.

Otabek knew they were where he was meant to be when he caught a glimpse of Yuri’s golden locks. Two guards opened the cell as the champion approached them. He hurried in, finding Yuri standing over a bloodied, cut up and bruised man.

“What happened to him?” Otabek asked the king, worried for the man’s safety. Yuri didn’t answer. Instead he yanked the man’s head up by his hair.

The man was Otabek’s former master Sir Joseph Graham.

“Tell him exactly what you told me,” Yuri ordered, holding a gleaming silver knife to the man’s throat.

“Your sister was taken by Sir Frederick Hawkins, but she ran away two weeks ago. No one’s seen her since.”

“Emilia,” Otabek whispered to himself in complete shock.

“And tell him what Sir Frederick did to her,” Yuri seethed, pressing the knife closer to his neck.

“H-He took her and used her for his own pleasure. I swear that’s all I know!”

The man began to beg for mercy. Yuri threw him against the ground. He whimpered but didn’t move.

Otabek felt rage build up inside him. He wanted to find this noble and kill him with his bear hands. Now, because of him and his former master, his sister was somewhere all alone, scared, and scarred for life.

“Your call, champion,” Yuri said, bringing Otabek back from his thoughts. “What will we do with this man?”

What he wanted to do was rip the knife out of Yuri’s hands and bury it deep in the man’s chest. But he didn’t. He knew that if he did, it would haunt him for the rest of his life.

“Strip him of his title and riches. Make him  _ walk _ the whole way out of the kingdom till his feet bleed in nothing but the rags he’s wearing now. And once his feet start to bleed, make him run the rest of the way. If he stops, whip him.”

Yuri nodded, waving for the guards to do as the champion said. They did, carrying the man away while he called out for mercy. To Otabek, this was his mercy.

“What about the other man? Frederick.”

“Dead,” Yuri answered. “I sent an assassin after him once that scum confessed. Any minute now his head should be delivered to us.”

“Good.”

Yuri examined Otabek during his angry outburst. Though he didn’t show it, Yuri was scared of what would happen if Otabek were to get physical.

“Ota-”

He stopped when he saw Otabek raise his first and hit the wall with all his might. Yuri jumped at the sudden movement and flinched hearing the loud crack of fingers being crushed.

“Why did this have to happen?” Yuri heard Otabek whisperer. “Why did this happen to her?”

It wasn’t till he looked closer did he realize that he was crying. Yuri wasn’t sure if it was from his emotions or the pain in his hand. Regardless of the reason, Yuri made an attempt to comfort him by giving him a hug. Otabek didn’t hesitate to hug back. He held Yuri close and ran his good hand through his long hair, finding it an excellent way to calm himself. Yuri didn’t find it bad either.

“I’m worried about her,” Otabek confessed.

“Don’t. We’re going to find her and she’s going to be safe,” he paused, gently cupping Otabek’s face. They looked at one another, and in a soft voice, Yuri spoke. “We’re going to find her.”

“We’re going to find her,” Otabek repeated, like he was trying to believe himself. “We have to.”

“And we will, but you need your rest.”

Otabek nodded in agreement and allowed Yuri to walk him to his room. When they arrived, Yuri bid him goodnight and squeezed his shoulder in reassurance.

“We begin the search first thing tomorrow.”

Otabek nodded, too tired to speak. Yuri wanted to reach out and hold him again, but he didn’t think now was a good time. He knew Otabek needed some time to himself, so he left him at his room.

***

The following morning, search parties were sent out into each section of the capital. Otabek and Yuri set out together to the last place where Emilia was seen. They asked around earning very little information. The only thing that remotely helped was that she was planning on taking a boat out of the city.

“She has to be at the docks,” Otabek concluded. “But what if she’s gone? It’s been two weeks after all.”

“She’d need money to leave,” Yuri reminded. “So unless she had a hidden stash of money or she stole some, she’s still somewhere in the city. Any idea where she’d be?”

Otabek shook his head. “We were always so busy. We never had the chance to leave our master’s house.”

“How were you treated? As a slave, I mean.”

“Horribly. Almost no food and countless cold, sleepless nights. We didn’t even get paid.”

“What do you mean you didn’t get paid?”

Otabek looked at him oddly. “We didn’t get paid. No way to break away from that life. All slaves live like that.”

They continued to walk, Yuri in a fit of rage. He didn’t seem to like the idea of labor without pay.

“I’m going to do something about that,” the king mumbled to himself.

This made Otabek wonder about the king. He seemed to want to help his people, but was completely unaware of what the problems were.

“Why haven’t you changed things before? Why now after you met me?”

Yuri sighed in frustration. The other man took no offense to it. He knew it wasn’t directed to him.

“Despite being king, I can’t go outside the palace walls. There’re too many threats. The people hate me for what I’m allowing. I don’t want them to suffer, but I can’t do anything if I don’t know why they’re suffering. Now, thanks to you, I have insight and the people love you. If I have you on my side then they are sure to warm up to me at some point.”

“The people love me?”

Yuri chuckled at the question. “Otabek Altin, you are the champion. The person who survived the mad king’s trial against the tigers! You’re a legend to them.”

Otabek didn’t say anything. He was too shocked at the news. Yuri laughed at his reaction, dragging him along to the docks.

***

A month later, no progress had been made. Yuri had ordered all exits to be shut down with strict restriction. This only applied in the capital, but they thing that went in and out was checked for Emilia. There were wanted posters spread throughout the whole city, all saying that she was to be brought to the king unharmed and safely.

Now, a whole month later, Otabek was beginning to think bad things. His sister might be dead somewhere. Another might have taken her noble. The possibilities were endless. Yuri had done his best to keep Otabek calm, meaning he had to stick by him every second of the day. The only time they were apart was when they were asleep or using the restroom.

One night, a cold night, Yuri had been roaming the halls. There was no reason other than pure boredom. He thought about heading to the kitchens for a quick snack when the door to the palace burst open. A group of five or so guards came in holding someone who was thrashing around and screaming.

“We found her, your grace!” one of them informed.

Yuri eyes widened, his attention falling over the girl. He commanded for her to be let go, and so that’s what they did. Immediately, she ran for the door, which was shut just seconds too soon. Yuri ran over, trying to calm the girl, possibly Otabek’s sister, but couldn’t get anywhere near her.

“Someone, get the champion! Get him now!”

Everyone in the room scattered, all of them searching for the person the king wanted there. Now that they were alone, he hoped Emilia would calm down a little.

Emilia crawled into the corner of the room, curled into a ball like it would save her from any threat. Yuri kept his distance, not wanting to startle the girl.

“Hey,” Yuri whispered, gaining her attention, only it didn’t work in the way he wanted it to. Instead she burst into a fit of screaming.

“Stay back!”

Yuri backed up, his hands held in surrender. “You’re Emilia, correct?” The girl nodded. “You’re brother’s on his way here. He’s been searching for you none stop.”

The mention of her brother seemed to calm her a little. “My brother’s dead. He died in the tiger tournament.”

“No, no, no, Emilia. You’re brother is alive and well.”

“He’s dead!”

“No. Otabek Altin’s not dead.”

She stiffened. “How do you know that name?”

“Otabek told me.”

She opened her mouth to say something, but was stopped.

Otabek rounded the corner, his eyes landing on his sister. “Emi!”

“Ota!”

Emilia scrambled up, running to her brother. Otabek caught her in his arms and braced her into a biggest hug possible. She sobbed into his chest.

“Ota, they-- it was horrible! They-- they… oh, it was just horrible.”

Otabek shushed her, rubbing her back and playing with her hair. He constantly reminded her that she didn’t have to talk till she was ready, but she tried to talk about it anyway. In the end, she’d stop due to her sobs.

“You’re safe now. They can’t touch you anymore.”

She nodded into his chest. Otabek sighed in relief, picking her up. Yuri waved for Otabek to follow, knowing that it was time her to rest up.

“I’ll have a bath drawn for her when she wakes and a meal large enough to feed an army,” Yuri informed Otabek as they neared Emilia’s door. She was already fast asleep.

“Thank you, Yuri.”

“No need.”

“No, I mean it. Thank you.”

Yuri did not reply, just kept walking. Otabek was slightly worried about the king, but didn’t focus on that. He focused back on his sister who looked to be suffering from a nightmare. Luckily they had just reached her room. They hoped that it would be easier to pacify her once she was lying down. But it didn’t. It only caused it to worsen.

“Emilia, wake up!”

Emilia jerked away holding onto her brother’s tunic. It was clear that she was panicking and no one knew what to do about it, but Otabek seemed to be calming her. Just a little, though. Yuri remained in the doorway, concerned and worried for the girl. All he wished was to help but he knew there was nothing he could do.

So he left the two be, shutting the door on his way out, and even though the doors were closed, Emilia’s series could still be heard. The sound pained him.

***

Weeks had passed by since Emilia was found and brought in keeping of her brother. Things had turned back to normal, though, sadly, Yuri wasn’t spending as much time as he’d like with Otabek. Either Yuri was busy with his royal duties or Otabek was occupied with his sister. Yuri had also tried to approach the younger girl, but every time he was within her sight, she’d flee as if he was trying to kill her.

Today he was trying again. He had invited the Altin’s to have tea with him in the garden later in the afternoon. When the time arrived, only one of them showed up and that one was Otabek.

“No Emilia?” Yuri asked, earning a stressed and tired sigh from the other.

“No. She still won’t leave her room or interact with any men. She’s eating more than she had been when she first came and allowing her handmaiden to brush her hair.”

“I noticed she cut it,” Yuri noted.

Otabek nodded. “It was another bad reminder of what she went through.”

“And her sleeping habits?”

“Still wakes up from nightmares. When they get really bad, she’ll sneak into my room and lay down next to me.” He paused for moment. “I asked her to come down here with me today but she refused. She’s probably watching from her room right now.”

 

Yuri subtly looked to where the girl’s room was, and, sure enough, Emilia was looking out toward their sitting area.

“Time will heal her, how ever long that takes,” Yuri told Otabek, taking a sip of his tea. “I will not force her to speak to me unless she’s comfortable with it.”

“She'll appreciate that one day. I know she will.”

The two fell into silence as they drank their tea and enjoyed the beautiful day. While doing so, Yuri couldn’t help but think of ways to win Emilia's affection. He had a few ideas but none of them seemed to stand out, but he knew he’d find it eventually. It would just take time.

***

A month later there was still no progress between the king and the champion's sister, though according to Otabek, there had been. She had been asking about Yuri from time to time, but still seemed too scared to meet him face to face. So Yuri decided to meet somewhere in the middle.

He stood in front of the younger girl’s door with a large basket covered in a thin sheet and a letter resting on top of it. Gently, Yuri set the basket down, knocked on the door and ran away. Once he was around the corner, he pressed himself to the wall, waiting to Emilia to come out. Seconds later, the door opened.

Emilia opened the door, expecting a person. Instead she found letter and basket. She picked up the parchment that had her name written on it and decided to read that first. She had to note that whoever had written it had the neatest and most graceful handwriting she’d ever seen.

_ Dear Emilia, _

_ I know that you are still healing from the events of your past, but I do wish to get to know you as a friend. We don’t need to speak in person if you don’t feel ready. Writing letters is an excellent way of communication. I also wanted to give you this gift in hopes that it might bring you more security and a nice companion. _

_ Hope you enjoy, _

_ Yuri _

Emilia’s eyes widened at the name and she bit her lip. Quickly, she calmed herself. If he had wanted to harm her he’d already one it by now or wouldn't have gone through all this trouble. Next, she looked down at the basket. Hesitantly, she lifted the sheet covering it and gasped.

Inside laid a baby panther with soft spotted fur. It was asleep at the moment, which was the cutest thing she’d ever laid eyes on. A giggle escaped her lips. From where Yuri stood, he couldn’t help but smile.

Emilia picked up the kitten, finding another note.

_ The panther doesn’t have a name. Not yet, at least. If you’d like any help trying it, let me know and I, or another one of the trainers, could help you. _

She took the basket, both letters and the kitten with her back into her room, a smile on her face. She now had two things to do and she was now bursting with excitement.

***

Otabek went to visit his sister later that night expecting to see her in her normal startled mood. Instead, he was greeting with a good change.

His sister was smiling and laughing while petting a small animal.

“What’s this?” Otabek chuckled, over joyed. “My sister’s smiling again!”

Emilia let out a joyous laugh, making Otabek’s smile brighten. She lifted up a spotted kitten with dark eyes.

“Yuri gave it to me as a gift!”

Otabek blinked. “You spoke to Yuri?” he asked, completely shocked.

She shook her head, turning all shy like she used to. Reaching over into a basket that he now noticed, she pulled out a letter with Yuri’s handwriting. He carefully read it, smiling as he did.

How did he get so lucky to find a man like Yuri?

***

Over the next few weeks, Yuri had learned much about Emilia. They’d write to each other everyday, sharing random stories and such. It was clear that the two were growing closer to one another, despite never seeing each other in person.

Otabek knew that the two were communicating like this, but he never read the letters. Emilia forbid him from even touching anything that Yuri had written her, and Yuri acted just a stingy.

“I promised her that whatever was written between the two of us would only be seen by the two of us,” Yuri explained, smiling as he did. “That applies to you too, Otabek.”

Otabek huffed, playfully rolling his eyes. “Fine.”

Yuri glanced over at Otabek. They were talking a stroll through the gardens, which had become a habit of theirs to do every afternoon.

“Thought one thing I’ve noticed,” Yuri started, “is that she always refers to you as ‘Ota’. Is there any reason for that?”

Otabek smiled. “When she was learning to speak, she had trouble saying my whole name. She could only say the first bit, so it kind of stuck. She’s the only one allowed to call me that, like how I call her Emi sometimes.”

“Then can I come up with a nickname for you?” Yuri blushed, not meet his gaze. Otabek blushed as well.

“If you want, I guess.”

Yuri didn’t want to admit it but he was jealous of Emilia sometimes. She got to spend more time with her brother than the king did and called him cute nicknames. Yuri wanted to spend more time with him and call him by nicknames too. And maybe even have Otabek give him a cute nickname as well.

“How is her panther?” Yuri asked. “Any names yet?”

It had been nearly a whole month since she had the kitten in her keeping and had been asking non-stop about it. He knew she had trained it, but he hadn’t heard of a name for the cute little thing.

“She said she’d tell you in the next later.”

“Really?” Yuri brightened.

“Yep. The letter might even be done now, just waiting for you in your chambers.”

Otabek watched as Yuri fought against the urge to run back into the palace and learn the name of the kitten. Otabek smiled, holding back his laugh. He knew Yuri loved his cats. Just the mention of them made his eyes light up.

It was the most adorable thing Otabek thought about the younger man.

“Go,” Otabek laughed. “I know you want to know.”

Yuri, without thinking due to the excitement, he leaning over and pecked Otabek’s check before running off, laughing as he did. He didn’t turn around to see the other man’s dumbstruck expression or how red his face turned. Instead he kept running.

Yuri ran to his room, nearly trampling the lady who was setting the letter down on his desk. He recognized it as Emilia’s handmaiden, Sala.

“Forgive me, your grace,” Sala bowed. “I was just delivering this from Miss Emilia.”

“Thank you, Sala.”

The woman chuckled, excusing herself from the room. Yuri wasted no time opening the letter, quickly read every word.

“Keon,” Yuri whispered to himself, smiling. “A beautiful name for a creature like that.”

***

Another afternoon was spent in the gardens, but the king and his champion chose to sit instead. Otabek had picked a tree to sit under, dragging Yuri down with him. Yuri was more than happy to just sit beside Otabek even if they didn’t talk.

The boys sat side by said, their shoulders right up against each other. The longhaired man rested his head against the other's shoulder, his eyes closed, finding peace in the moment. After some time, Otabek gentle laid Yuri head onto his lap, causing Yuri to open his eyes. When he saw Otabek’s warm eyes a light blush dusting his cheeks, he smiled, resting his eyes again.

Both of them were completely relaxed. There was nothing to worry about, nothing stopping them from just enjoying the peaceful, serene moment.

Otabek rested his head against the trunk of the tree, his eyes closed as well. Without thinking, he began to run his fingers through the king’s long, soft locks. They both smiled at the touch, but the other didn’t know. All they knew is that the other wasn’t bothered by it and they were happy.

***

Yuri sat in the gardens with his precious Roksana. The tiger lay at his feet while Yuri sat on the fountain’s edge, his fingers skimming the cool surface. He sighed, wishing Otabek were there. The older man had decided to venture out into the capital for a change. He had told Yuri that he planned a getting a gift for Emilia since she was getting better. Yuri thought it was a sweet gesture, and offered to accompany him, but Otabek declined. Yuri was a little hurt by this, but didn’t let the other know.

As for Emilia, she had been sending fewer letters than normal. When Yuri asked Otabek why, he smiled and told him not to worry.

“She’s happy,” Otabek confirmed. “But she’s planning something that she doesn't want anyone knowing about.”

Yuri was shocked to hear this. Even Otabek didn’t know, which meant that whatever it was had to be special. He only wished to know what it was.

And that’s why he asked Sala, but she only laughed and told him to wait. But he really wanted to know and he wanted to know now.

Yuri sighed again. Roksana looked up at his owner, seeing that he was down. Without waiting for Yuri to reach out to him, he pushed his head into his palm. The king ran his hand through the soft fur.

“Oh, Roksana, what did I do wrong?” Yuri asked, pressing his face into the tiger’s neck. “Does she hate me now?”

Just then Yuri heard the sound of tiny paws hitting gravel. Yuri looked up, his eyes landing on a small panther with a rolled up piece of parchment attached to it’s collar and a beautifully made flower crown balanced on it’s head. It stopped in front of Yuri and bowed. The little panther had bowed to him. He knew there could only be one animal so talented trained.

“You must be Keon, right?” Yuri asked it. He knew the animal couldn’t talk, but the name seemed to give him the animal’s full attention. Yuri chuckled, petting it. “You must be. Now, let’s see what this says.” He reached over, slipping the letter out of his collar.

_ Dear Yuri, _

_ I’ve been trying to think of something to give you since you gave me Keon. Ota always says that the best gifts are the ones people put their time and hearts into it. So I made you this flower crown. I know it won’t last, but I hope you like it anyway. _

_ Yours truly, _

_ Emilia _

Yuri smiled, taking the crown off the feline’s head. Keon brushed his head against Yuri before running off behind a bush. Seconds later, he heard a nervous laugh and the rustling of leaves being shook. Without a doubt he knew it was Emilia. His suspicions were confirmed when he caught a glimpse of purple silk and black hair. She was hurrying to stand up and run off before Yuri saw her, but she failed. She just didn’t know though.

“Come, Roksana,” Yuri called out to his tiger, placing the neatly made crown on his head. “We need to thank our friend.”

***

Days had passed since Yuri received his gift from Emilia and was a little sad to see the flowers beginning to wilt. He knew it would only last a few days, a week at most, but it was just so pretty.

Yuri made his way down to the dining all for dinner wearing said gift. He wore it with such pride too. When he arrived, Otabek was sitting in his spot, waiting or Yuri as well. Otabek took notice of what the young king was wearing today. Rich green robes, long hair braided with little white flowers intertwined to match the match the flower crown that his sister had made…

There were no words to describe how amazing Yuri looked.

Yuri quickly took his seat, head held high and a beaming smile.

“How was your day, Beka?”

“Beka?” Otabek asked, a smile growing on his face. “Where’d that come from?”

“It’s your nickname from me.”

Beka blushed. He could get used to being called that. But only by Yuri though.

“Wonderful. Yours?”

“Similar, only Roksana won’t leave me alone to work.”

Otabek laughed, but stopped when someone entered the room. It was Sala, so Otabek assumed the worse.

“Did something happen?” he asked right away.

Sala smiled. “No, no. Everything’s fine. In fact, Miss Emilia sent me down here to ask if she could join you for dinner.”

Yuri nearly gasped out loud. But quickly nodded his head. Sala immediately left the room after doing a small curtsy. Yuri turned to Otabek who looked just as puzzled.

“Did you know about this?” Yuri asked him.

“No.”

Then it dawned on the king that he only had two meals prepared. Without a word, he sprinted to the kitchens, ordering another serving of whatever it was and strawberry short cakes for dessert.

“But we’re all out of strawberries, your grace,” one of them informed.

Yuri reached into his robe, pulling out a small sack of gold coins, tossing it to the one who had said they were out. “Then I suggest you and a few others get some. And by quick.”

They bowed, running off to do their task. Yuri quickly returned to his seat. Emilia wasn’t there yet, but he and Otabek knew she’d be there soon.

Their attention turned to the doorway when they heard footsteps approaching and the click of claws. The shadows of Emilia and Keon could be seen on the ground, showing that they were nearing. Then, right by the door, Emilia paused like she was having second thoughts. Yuri bit his lip, waiting for the girl to round the corner. After many intense moments, she poked out from behind her wall and quickly made her way to her seat.

“Hello,” she mumbled, gently petting Keon who sat beside her with his head on her lap.

“Evening, Emilia,” Yuri greeted with a soft smile. “How was your day?”

Emilia snuck a quick, nervous glance at her brother. Otabek nodded once with a smile on his face, encouraging her to speak.

“G-Good. It was good.”

“That’s nice to hear. Anything eventful?”

“Not really. I pricked my finger on a needle through.”

“Oh, that’s awful. Are you alright?”

She lightly giggled. “It was just a poke. It doesn’t hurt much any more.”

Otabek watched silently, happy to see the two interact. Yuri was somehow able to coax Emilia out of her shell with the simplest gestures. He remembered how hard it was to get Emilia to talk to him when they had first been reunited. Now, looking at the two talk, it was hard to even think she’d have difficulty speaking with anyone.

It was all thanks to Yuri though. Without him, Emilia may never have had that extra push to join back into society.

“Dinner, your graces,” a servant announced as three people came rushing in platters. Another three came trailing after with tea. Normally they’d drink wine, but they didn’t want to scare Emilia. She had developed a fear of alcohol since her time as a slace.

“Thank you,” Yuri smiled. “You’re dismissed.”

They all dug into their food. Not a word was uttered during their meal. A peaceful silence fell over the room, wrapping them all in a warm and comfortable atmosphere. It slightly reminded Otabek of when his family was whole. Then it slowly occurred to him.

This place was home. Yuri had welcomed them both into his home with open arms and gave them anything they desired. Yuri had cared for them, and not because he felt obliged to but because he wanted to. To him, Yuri was home.

***

A week later Yuri and Emilia had grown closer. Otabek watched from a distance as the two chatted the day away in the gardens, both of them accompanied by their large cats. He could only wonder what the two were talking about. He had asked Emilia every night after they returned from their walks after dinner what they conversed about, but she’d always avoid the topic.

“It’s confidential,” she’d answer with a smirk and a glint in her eyes.

Otabek didn’t want to admit it, but he saw the way they interacted. Emilia hadn’t hesitated when it came to playfully push Yuri or speak her mind. He was started to think that she was developing a crush on him, which, if it were true, would make sense. They were only a year or so apart. But still… it bothered Otabek in a way. He just didn’t know how.

So he asked his sister one day about her and Yuri’s… relationship.

“So you and Yuri are becoming very close?” Otabek pointed out one night.

“You could say that,” Emi grinned.

“Do you like him?”

Emilia gave him an odd, humorous look. Her brother had always been straightforward, but the tone he used implied something. Something that made her want to laugh till she cried.

“Not at all. Why do you ask?”

“No reason,” he answered looked away. Suddenly the floor had become much more interesting.

“Is Otabek Altin jealous?”

“No.”

“Really? Because your red face says otherwise.”

“Emilia!”

She laughed, wrapping her arms around her blushing brother. He turned his head, trying to hide it, but Emilia came up behind him, resting her head on his shoulder.

“Don’t worry, Ota. Your secret's safe with me.”

“It better be,” he grumbled.

She giggled again, kissing his check quickly before turning back to what she was doing before.

***

The following evening, Emilia and Yuri were taking their usual walk through the gardens, talking about their day in great lengths. Eventually the decided to take a small break at Yuri’s quiet spot. There had been something he’d been mean to tell Emilia about for a while, but didn’t know how to bring it up. Now, after some thinking, he decided to come forward with it.

“Emilia,” Yuri had begun with a large intake of air. “I’m in love with your brother.”

She smiled sweetly. “I know, Yuri.”

Yuri blushed red, covering his cheeks. “You do? How?”

“I’ve seen the way you look at him. All the little glances you give him when he’s not looking. All the lovesick stares you space out into while looking at him from afar. It’s cute.”

“S-So you don’t mind?”

“Of course not. I’m happy for you.”

“Do you think he likes me back?”

Emilia grinned, thinking of last night. Maybe Otabek didn’t know his feelings yet, but Emilia did. It was as clear as day how he felt.

“There’s only one way to find out.”

“But… what if he doesn’t feel the same way?”

She gently grabbed his hands, giving them an encouraging squeeze. “Try at least. Try to tell him when you think the time is right.”

Yuri smiled, wrapping the young girl in a hug. Emilia laughed, hugging back as well.

“Thank you, Emilia,” Yuri whispered into her hair.

She smiled, though he didn’t know that. “You can call me Emi. You’re like another brother to me.”

Needless to say, the young king was overjoyed to be called that. He’d never had any siblings of his own and Emilia had just called him a brother. For the first time in many years, Yuri felt like he was loved and part of a family again.

***

“Yura,” Otabek said, his voice like honey to Yuri.

“Huh?”

They were taking their afternoon stroll through the gardens when Otabek randomly said something. It caught him off guard because they hadn’t really spoken since they met up by the palace doors.

“That’s your nickname. Yura,” Otabek clarified.

“Oh,” Yura blushed.

“You don’t like it?”

“No, no. I do, just… nothing. I like it, Beka.“

Otabek smiled, gazing down at his Yura. The king did his best to hide his blushing face but was failing miserably. Knowing that, he moved his hair to cover his face, only to have it pushed away from his champion.

“Don’t hide it,” Otabek laughed. “It’s cute.”

Yuri grinned, his face as red as strawberry. He playfully pushed Otabek, which caused Otabek to do the same. Soon enough, the two had begun chasing each other around the gardens, laughing gleefully. A few near by servants were shocked to see them acting like children, but felt happy for them. It had been so long since they had seen their king enjoying himself with another person.

But that all changed when Otabek came into his life. A lot of things had changed since Otabek came into his life.

***

During the rainy season was Emilia’s namesake day. Yuri had been planning the celebration for weeks, though Emilia instead she didn’t need a whole party to make her happy. All she needed was Otabek, Yuri, Keon and Roksana. And maybe from strawberry shortcake, but she could live without for a day.

“Nonsense,” Yuri told her. “You’re turning seventeen! You deserve this.”

“But there’s no need to make a fuss. I mean, you didn’t celebrate your eighteen namesake day last month.”

“Please, Emi, I get fussed over everyday. It’s your turn now.”

And that’s how they ended up here. The ballroom had been decorated for the occasion and countless nobles and those of the higher up classes had been invited. Yuri, upon request from Emilia, had also invited a small orphanage. When the king asked her why she wanted them there, the answer was simple.

“I was like them at one point. I want them to see life will turn up for them in the end.”

It was part of her king nature to think like that, Yuri supposed, so he did as the girl asked.

The celebration was magnificent, in Yuri’s opinion anyway. Yuri had to force Otabek to go out and speak with others, but he stayed right by him the whole time. After all, this was the first event the champion had attended since he arrived at the palace. He’d been offered the chance to go to many other social gatherings and events but turned them all down due to Emilia’s unstable behavior. But, now that she was fully recovered, he was more open to the idea of a party.

Emilia also seemed to be enjoying herself. At first, she was intimidated by most the higher up powers there and hesitant to approach them. Sadly, there was alcohol there, so that also put her on edge, but after Yuri introduced her to a very nice lord. One who had dealt with a situation similar to Emilia and Otabek’s, but she didn’t know that.

After hours of normal chitchat among the guest, Yuri had decided it was time to call everyone together for their meals and some entertainment. The meal was divine and the entertainment was the best that Yuri could find in the kingdom. It was a play performed by some of the best actors in the land, which included an old family friend of Yuri’s

“It’s been quiet some time, your grace,” the lead actor said, bowing to the king.

“Indeed it has, Georgi, but you can call me Yuri.”

“I don’t think that would be very appropriate of me.”

A small laugh echoed throughout the room. Georgi winked at the king, knowing they’d be speaking later. Yuri smiled, gesturing to his old friend.

“So, what show will you be playing for us tonight?”

Georgi and his cast began the show. It was a show called ‘Tales of a Sleeping Prince’. Yuri had seen this one before because it was one of Georgi’s favorite to perform. He’d seen it so often that he tended to dread seeing it again. The only things keeping him from leaving were the Altin’s and all the guests. He knew it would be rude to walk out in the middle of the performance, so he stayed put. At the end of long play, everyone clapped; Emilia’s being the loudest.

“That was amazing! Don’t you guys think so?” she asked the two boys.

“That is was,” Yuri lied, smiling through it. He glanced at Otabek seeing, already knowing what the other was thinking.

“I’ve seen better,” Otabek softened, not wanting to be rude. “But it was good acting.”

Upon seeing Emilia’s enthusiasm for the show, Georgi went to talk with her. The two seemed deep in conversation, so Yuri took his chance, dragging Otabek away. He didn’t need to be dragged though. He would’ve gladly followed without Yuri trying to make him.

“That was an awful story,” Otabek commented once they were out of earshot.

“Tell me about it,” Yuri rolled his es, earning a chuckle from the older man. “I was forced to watch it as a kid.”

“Oh, you poor boy,” the other joked. Yuri giggled in response, stepping out onto the balcony. Otabek followed after, smiling at the joyful noise the younger man made.

They stepped out into the cool night air, slowly making their way over to the stone ledge. Yuri rested his hands on the ledge, leaning on it for support. The two didn’t speak. They just looked out over the garden that was lit by torches. A few people could be seen walking through the gravel paths, but none of them seemed to notice the two standing on the balcony overlooking them.

Otabek’s gaze flickered over to Yuri. The king was standing straight up like he’d been trained to since birth with his eyes closed, listening to the sounds of the night. A small smile played on his lips, like she was thinking of something blissful. The torch light hit his skin, making it glow and gave his hair a golden shine.

“I know you’re staring, Beka,” he whispered, his lips barely moving. Normally, Otabek would’ve looked away, embarrassed that he’d been caught, but not this time. This time he was going to be different.

“But we both know you don’t mind, Yura.”

“And what gives you that idea?” Yura asked, opening his beautiful blue-green eyes. Every time Otabek looked into them, he swore he forgot everything for a split second.

“Maybe the fact that you do the same to me.”

Yuri blushed, but kept his eyes locked with the other man. Neither moved for a moment, both of them unsure of what would happen next. Then, like some force was doing it, Otabek reached out, gently taking Yuri’s hand in his. Yuri couldn’t help but notice the difference of how they felt. His were smooth and soft, while Otabek’s were warm and rough, but they still felt comfortable.

Otabek’s other hand was lifted up to Yuri’s hip. At the same time, Yuri raised his free hand to his champion’s biceps, feeling along his muscles for a moment. Otabek began to lower his head to the golden haired man. He leaned up, their eyes fluttering shut as they did so. The shorter one moved his hand away from the taller man’s and up his arm for more balance, but didn’t need to for the taller one had already reach for his waist, keeping him steady on his feet.

Their lips met in the middle, slightly making them both wake up from their dazed fantasies. Then again, it looked like their fantasies were now become realities.

Yuri sharply inhaled, moving his arms to the back of Otabek’s neck. The other pulled him closer, deepening the kiss. Their lips moved in sync, fitting together like a puzzle. The kiss would’ve lasted longer if a collection of screams hadn’t been heard.

Immediately, the two pulled apart, running back into the ballroom to see what the commotion was about. When they arrived, they saw that Keon was pinning a small boy down. The boy couldn’t have been older than thirteen or fourteen at most, and looked to be one of the orphans that Emilia had invited.

“Keon,” the king shouted at the panther, “down!”

The panther didn’t budge. It towered over the boy, growling down at him. Yuri stormed over, reaching out to pull the cat off him, but, seconds before coming within arm reach, he turned his head, letting out a roar. Yuri jumped, reclining his arm. Never before had the panther roared at him. Not even in a playful way.

Emilia burst through the crowd, running over to her beloved pet. She knelt down a few feet away, making sure she was out of reach from the animal, but also out of earshot from the guest.

“Yurochka, back down,” she ordered. The panther listened, climbing off the trembling boy. From the opposite side, Yuri gave Emilia a puzzled look, but she sent a look back that told him that she’d explain later.

“What happened?” Otabek asked, looking down at the boy.

“P-Please, your grace,” he plead, speaking directly to Yuri. “The orphanage-- it’s being shut down. We need the money to pay our taxes.”

The king’s eyebrows frowned. “Taxes are only ten gold pieces. That’s the lowest it’s been in years.”

Now it was the boy’s turn to be confused. “The tax collector's been taking eighteen gold pieces.”

Yuri closed his eyes, pinching the bridge of his nose and sighed. After a moment of thinking, his eyes snapped open. He pointed to two guards, both of them straightening up in the presence of the king.

“Go retrieve the tax collector from that section of the city,” the king ordered. They nodded, marching off to do as they told. Yuri then directed his attention back to the boy. “Now, what exactly did you take?”

The boy hesitantly held out his hand, opening it for the king to see. In the palm of his hand lied a necklace. The chain was made of gold with a small round pearl attached to it. Yuri knew it was Emilia’s. She’d been wearing it ever since her older brother bought it for her.

Yuri took the necklace, examining the damage. From what it looked like, it just needed a new chain. He handed it back to Emilia who took it without a word.

“What’s your name, boy?”

“K-Koyla, your grace,” the boy stuttered.

“Well, Koyla, you can’t just go around stealing from people. How about a job?”

The boy’s ears seemed to perk up at the idea. Yuri smirked at the reaction, knowing his answer.

“How does Royal Messenger sound?”

“Really!” the boy exclaimed. Yuri chuckled.

“Come back in the morning and we can discuss it more. As for now, enjoy the celebration. And that goes for everyone. Enjoy the celebration!”

 

The room erupted in cheers and everyone resumed to what they had been doing before. Yuri watched as Koyla quickly apologized to Emilia before running of to what he was doing before. Afterwards, Yuri slowly strolled over to Emilia with one question.

“Why did you call Keon Yurochka earlier?”

Emilia smiled fondly at both him and her panther. “I read in a book somewhere that you can train and animal to respond to two different names. One that they acknowledge, and the other they’ll do as they're ordered. So, I taught him that Yurochka is more of an ordering name.”

“But why Yurochka?” Yuri asked. “I haven’t herd that since…”

“Since your grandpa passed. I remember you telling me in a letter once. That’s why I chose the name. You gave me the panther to protect me, so it’s only fitting that I name him after you.”

Yuri pulled her into a hug, truly grateful for the meaning behind her reason. Emilia hugged back, knowing that she had made the blonde eternally happy.

***

Over the next month, Yuri and Otabek had grown more affectionate to one another, though they were quiet about, only showing it when they were alone. Their hands would brush against one another while they walked, and while the other wasn’t paying attention or focused on something, he’d pecking his cheek. The actions always caused them to blush, but they almost never went further than that. And they hadn’t spoke of the moment they shared that night.

The kiss still burned on Yuri’s lips every time he looked at his champion. Just thinking about it made his cheeks a light rosy color and he had a hard time containing a grin. Though it had similar effects to Otabek as well. The older man thought back on it every day when he woke up and every night before he fell asleep.

Both wished that it had lasted longer. And for it to happen again, but they were both too shy to take action.

Emilia had noticed how the boys were acting. Thinking back on it, she realized it had only started the night of her namesake celebration.

“Did something happen between you two?” she randomly asked them both at breakfast one morning.

“What do you mean?” Otabek asked, biting into his apple.

“You're both more… more caring to one another. It’s been like this since my celebration, too.”

Both men glanced at one another, their faces turning red from the memory. They looked away, mumbling excuses about their behavior. Yuri began to stuff his face while Otabek made up an excuse to leave.

Emilia huffed in annoyance, walking out of the room without a word.

***

“You what?” Emilia grinned, not sure if she heard the king right.

“We kissed,” Yuri blushed, looking down at his hands. Emi squealed, playfully shoving him. She left off the ledge of the fountain, blabbing about the idea of them being together.

“Calm down,” Yuri smiled. “We haven’t since and we haven’t spoken about it either.”

“Well, you should. I think you’d be cute together.”

Yuri was now the color of a blooming red rose. Emilia laughed at him again, continuing to tease him. Little did they know that Otabek had been looking for Yuri and found him just as he told Emilia.

He then made the decision that he’d approach Yuri tonight in private to speak about it.

***

Otabek stood outside Yuri’s door. Part of him was saying that he should leave, to just go back to his room and forget about confronting Yuri on the topic. But another part of him wants to see Yuri. To talk with him, to hold him, to kiss him…

He knocked on the door before he chickened out.

“Who is it?” Yuri called from the other side.

“Beka,” he responded. There was a sound of chair being pushed back and foot steps nearing the door.

The door opened, revealing the blonde beauty. He still wore his golden robes from earlier, but he must have just brushed his hair. It looked silkier smooth than normal.

“Did something happen?” Yuri asked, a concerned look crossing his face.

“No, I came here to see you actually.”

Yuri stepped aside, allowing the taller man in. Otabek stepped in, taking a quick glance around. He’d never been in Yuri's room before, but it seemed very Yuri like.

“What is it you need?” the king asked, shutting the door as he asked.

“Uh,” Otabek blushed, “I came down here to talk about the, um… the kiss.”

“Oh…” Yuri whispered, his cheeks turning pink as well. Together, they took a seat on the divan sofa, their eyes not meeting.

“What did it mean to you?” Otabek asked.

“Depends. What's it mean to you?”

Otabek took a deep breath, gently taking Yuri’s hand. As he did, he felt a wave of deja vu from earlier that month.

“It meant a lot of good things. Great things. Maybe even…”

“Maybe even love?” Yuri finished for him, unsure if he was correct.

“I think…”

Silence fell between the two. Yuri wanted to cry, but because he was happy. Otabek wanted to grab him and kiss him just as they had before and see how things went from there. Yuri, after some time, got tired of waiting for Otabek to make the next step and took it himself.

Silently, with only the sound of his robes moving, Yuri climbed up onto Otabek’s lap, straddling the older man. With soft, gentle hands, he cupped his cheeks and leaned in till their mouths met. The other melted into the kiss without a moment's hesitation, enjoying the sensation. All common sense faded away, leaving him to react naturally to the touch.

The kiss evolved from a simple and caring kiss to something more heated. Tongues collided in a fight for dominance, only to have the king come out on top. Though that was only because Otabek allowed it. He decided he’d let Yuri lead till he’d had enough of the smaller man dominating him.

Yuri’s hands slid away from his face to being wrapped around his neck, and finally wandered to the neckline of his tunic where he fiddled with the strings till they become undone. Otabek felt Yuri’s fingers run over his collarbone and that’s when he decided to take over. As the tables turned, Yuri inhaled sharply just as he had done during their first kiss.

And then Yuri was driven to the point where he wanted more of Otabek.

Breaking the kiss, Yuri and Otabek took deep breaths. The blonde stood up from his position, moving a few feet away before turning back to the dark haired fellow, a lustful look in his eyes. Otabek stood up, meeting the other where he stood, leaning down to kiss him again, but was stopped short by Yuri placing both hands on his chest.

Otabek watched as Yuri removed his hands and brought them to the upper parts of his robes, losing the cloth covering him. With a swift move of his hands, the golden fabric slipped off his frame and into a heap on the floor. The blonde stepped out of his clothes, taking a step forward so that he was pressed up against his lover.

The taller man used every ounce of willpower to keep his eyes on Yuri’s and not reach out and grab him. It was extremely hard though. From the small glimpse he allowed himself, he had seen how pale and smooth his skin looked and how his lovely hair fell over his bare shoulders.

Yuri brought his lips to Otabek’s; pulling him into a slow, deep kiss, imply that he wanted something more. Otabek pulled back reluctantly, his rational thoughts starting to surface again.

“Yuri--”

“Please.”

“No.”

“But--”

“We shouldn’t.”

“Beka,” Yuri whispered, desire dripping from the name. He had said it right into Otabek’s ear, sending chills down his spine. “Don’t think just this once. Give in to your wants.”

And so Otabek did.

***

They lay in bed afterwards, cuddling each other. Both of them thought back on sin they committed, but neither of them regretted it. Nor would they any time soon.

Yuri, upon remembering every little detail, buried his red face into his lover’s chest. Otabek smiled, though he wished he could see Yuri’s face.

“Why are you all of a sudden embarrassed?” Otabek asked, running his hands through Yuri’s golden hair. “You didn’t seem embarrassed when you were screaming my name a few minutes ago,” he teased.

“Don’t bring that up,” Yuri told him, looking up. Otabek’s grin widened when he saw how red the other was.

“But why not? I think it was cute.”

“Stop,” Yuri mumbled laying back down to snuggle into his neck. “I just want to lay here with you, so, please, be quiet.”

Otabek breathlessly chuckled, moving to brush his silky hair with his fingers.

“We should go clean up. The bathhouses are still open.”

“But there could be people down there.”

 

“Yura, it’s the middle of the night,” Otabek reminded him. “No one’s going to be down there.”

Yuri took a deep breath, readjusting to get comfortable. “Not right now. Let's stay here a little longer.”

“Okay. Can we talking though?”

Yuri nodded. “If you want. No teasing though.”

Otabek smiled. “No teasing. Got it.” He relaxed more against the pillows, thinking of something to say. Then a conversation from earlier resurfaced. A conversation they had while searching for Emilia.

“Why do they call you the mad king?”

Yuri sighed. It was one that sounded sad.

“You don’t have to answer if you don’t want.”

Yuri ignored him and answered anyway. “It was back when I first became king. I was only thirteen at the time, almost fourteen. My grandpa was still the king, but he was old and became very ill. I was next in line for the throne since my parents died when I was young and his only trustworthy family member.

“The day he died, I went to visit him like any other day. His health had been plumbing for weeks, and they said he wouldn’t make it much longer. I refused to admit it even though I could see how weak and fragile he was. We talked as we did every time, but then he had asked me to get him a cup of water, so I did, thinking it would help him. And before he drank it, he told me things. Things that you wouldn’t say unless… unless you were dying,” he paused, gathering his thoughts. Tears filled his eyes at the memory, but he continued on.

“I was confused as to why he was saying all this, but I didn’t ask. I just listened. Then he had asked me to leave because he was tired. So I did. I was only thirteen, so what else was I supposed to think?”

The tears were falling now. Otabek whipped them away, telling Yuri that he didn’t have to finish, but he wanted to. He hadn’t told this to anyone. Well, he told Roksana, but he didn’t count that.

“He was pronounced dead a few hours later. It wasn’t till a few months later did I find out that he ordered the physicians to poison the water. He poisoned the water and went to sleep and died. And it’s all my fault, Beka. I gave him the water.”

Otabek sat up, bringing Yuri to his chest. Yuri fell onto him, wrapping his arms around his torso. In attempt to comfort him, Otabek played with his hair.

“It’s not your fault, Yura,” he soothed. “He was dying and we wanted the pain to end. He had to give him the water because he wanted you to be the last thing he seed and the one to put him at rest.”

“But it’s my fault,” the blonde sobbed.

“No, no, Yura. You helped him. You stopped him from suffering.”

Yuri said nothing and did his best to cry silently. It quiet enough to not be heard from a few feet away, which is just what most people did. The servants always kept their distance from the ruler, so they were never close enough to hear the soft cries of their king. It pained Otabek when he realized this.

After many minutes to tear shedding, Yuri sat up, sniffling and rubbing his eyes. They were puffy and red now, but he managed a smile for Otabek.

“How about that bath?”

Otabek smiled, leaning over to peck his forehead. “Only if you’re up for it.”

***

Over time, their relationship grew. They were a couple now, but they kept it on the down low. Only a few others knew, when they told Emilia, she was ecstatic. The man could’ve sworn she was already planning the wedding.

Otabek had returned to the fighting arena, after a whole year, though he wasn’t in the pit. Instead, he sat beside Yuri and Emilia on the other side of him. Otabek had agreed to come because he felt obliged to. Yuri was forced to, despite not wanting to all the time, and he also came to see what it was like to be a viewer, not a fighter. Emilia had chosen to attend because it was a normal thing to do when in the court and to see what her brother had to go through to get where they were today. So, the Altin’s dressed in their best clothing and met Yuri at his seat.

In the middle of one the fights, the king leaned over to his champion, whispering, “I was thinking of setting up another challenge but with bears.”

Otabek raised an eyebrow. “Why bears?”

 

“In honor of you. You remind me of a bear.”

Otabek shook his head at the childish comparison while Yuri grinning like a fool. “Is one champion not enough for you, your grace?”

“No, no, my champion. One is enough,” he answered, patting his hand before returning it to his lap. Otabek glanced over, wishing he held his hands. But they hadn’t gone public and the fighting tournament wasn’t the right time or place.

***

Hours later, a social gathering was held in the palace. After every tournament there was, but, because he had never attended one, this was Otabek’s first, as well as Emilia’s.

The king sat on his throne, his champion beside him. People came up, greeting the king and their champion that they’d been waiting to meet for a year. All who approached them bowed and kneeled to the king, kissing his ring before turning to the kingdom’s champion and bowing before him as well. Some stopped to have a brief conversation with the two before moving on. Many of girls would also flirt with one or the other, sometimes even both, which they knew would happen, but kept calm, knowing the other wouldn’t fall for their attempts at flattery.

After an hour or so of greetings, the ruler and his champion were allowed a small break from everyone. They were given a chance to just speak and enjoy some time without having to speak with strangers. While they rested a little, Otabek’s eyes wandered around the room for his sister. In the end he found her having a conversation with a young man a year or so older than her. They both looked to be happy and in a deep conversation. Otabek watched carefully at how the man interacted with Emilia and became very possessive over her. He made one step toward them before being pulled back by Yuri.

“Leave her be,” Yuri told him, keeping a firm hand on his forearm. “She’s in good hands.”

“How do you know?”

“Lord Timour will do no harm to her. He also has a sister Eli’s age who… went through similar things. I introduced them to each other on her namesake day. They seemed to have grown closer since.”

“What do you mean?”

“They’ve been speaking through letter’s for months. Ask her about it later. Not now though.”

“But--”

“That’s an order,” Yuri smirked, glancing at the taller man who was standing. Otabek glared back, grinning.

Later on, Otabek had gone off to fetch drinks for the both of them. Yuri waited patiently, watching as his subjects chattered and wandered about. He sighed, happy to see everyone so lively.

“Yuri,” a gentle voice called out to him. He looked up to see Emilia with Lord Timour, their arms linked. Yuri smiled brightly, rising up to embrace the girl. She giggled and held back. “Where’s Ota? I want to introduce him to Lord Timour.”

The lord chuckled. “Emilia, I told you already; it’s Timour.”

She blushed slightly. “Sorry, Timour. Force of habit.”

“Your brother will be back any minute. He went-- oh, there he is.”

Otabek handed the golden goblet to the king, sipping from his as he did. He took notice to the man he had seen earlier, now wondering what his real intentions were.

“Ota,” Emilia smiled, “this is my friend Lord Timour. Timour, this is my brother Otabek.”

“Lord Otabek, it’s a pleasure to meet you. Emilia’s told me much about you,” Timour introduced, his hand held out for a shack. Otabek gave it one strong shack before letting go.

“Is that so? I’ve never heard my dear sister speak of you.”

“Otabek,” Emilia said, a warning tone in her voice, “I didn’t tell you for good reasons. We’ll speak of this later.”

“No, we’ll talk about it now.”

“Otabek, I--”

“No. Now,” he told her, a demanding tone in those two words. Emilia looked at Yuri for help, but the king only shrugged. Otabek took her arm gently, leading her out onto the balcony where they could speak privately.

“I apologize for those two, Lord Timour. Lord Otabek simply worries over her, as you can see.”

“It’s quite alright,” Timour assured. “I was like that over Kenya after she went through all that as well. It’s only natural for him to act like that.”

Yuri nodded once, thinking. “I’ll need to have a talk with him later.”

“It’s up to you, your grace.”

Yuri opened his mouth, planning to tell him that there was no need for formalities when he heard angry footsteps of none other than Emilia. She seemed furious with whatever she and her brother spoke about, and, without a words, she grabbed Timmy's arm without warning. Otabek reappeared at Yuri’s side, just as upset, not speaking either.

***

At the end of the night when most the guest had already left, the two men had left the room, stepping onto the balcony. The air was humid, but that was normal around his time of year. Neither seemed to mind.

Otabek hadn’t said much since returning from his conversation with his sister earlier. His emotions had changed though. It went from angry, to irritated, and now hurt. Yuri reached out and rubbed his arm.

“I’m sure that whatever she said was out of anger. She didn’t mean any of it.”

Otabek shook his head, running a hand through it. “I just don’t want her getting hurt.”

“You know you’ll have to let her go one day, right?” the king asked, earning a sad nod in response. “And when you do, you know she’ll come back if she needs to.”

“I know,” he whispered. “Just… what is someone tries to harm her again.”

 

“No one will though,” Yuri comforted, placing a hand on his check. “I know you’ve seen the bad things in the world, but there’s also the good part. Timour is part of that good. Emilia’s with the good.”

Otabek sighed, turning his head away. Yuri huffed, looking out over the garden. He spotted Emilia and Timour under a large tree that Emilia had claimed her own long ago. She and Timour seemed to be dancing, both overflowing with joy. At the base of the tree, Keon laid on the grass, guarding over his owner and her shoes. Yuri couldn’t help but smile at the sight.

“Look at them,” Yuri smiled, gesturing to the two. “They’re in love. They just don’t know it yet.”

“I know. I see the way they stare at each other… it reminds me of us.”

Yuri blushed brightly, playfully punching Otabek. He knew that was meant to lighten the mood, and it did.

“Do you remember what happened the last time we were here?” Otabek asked, a smirk playing on his lips. Yuri remembered, of course. Who wouldn’t? But, instead, he tapped his chin like he was thinking.

“Actually, I don’t. I think I need a refresher.”

Otabek smiled, leaning down close. Right before their lips met, he whispered, his breath hitting Yuri’s mouth. A shiver ran down his spine.

“Gladly,” he told him, bringing his lips down completely. They smiled into the kiss, neither of them thinking of anything better.


End file.
